Today, February 24th is the final day to introduce bills this session. As of yesterday morning there were 2210 Assembly Bills and 1332 Senate Bills introduced this session. Advocates expect several hundred more bills to be introduced in each house by the end of the day. Bills of interest include:

AB 1313 (Allen) This measure would require overtime for agricultural field workers after 8 hours in a day or on the 6th work day in a week. The bill will be heard in Senate Industrial Relations and along with our association, there is a large group of ag and employer groups opposing the legislation.  

AB 1544 (M. Perez) Attempts to develop a state program to allow for the "legal" hiring of undocumented workers. Specifically requires EDD to make a finding that not enough "legal" residents are available to fill the ag jobs and then authorizes the department to provide a license to hire undocumented workers in agriculture. Assembly member Perez is attempting to push the national debate on immigration reform and is asking agriculture to participate.

AB 1623 (Yamada) This bill would authorize local county boards of supervisors to raise weights and measures fees to cover the local county costs. This bill is a priority because there are hundreds of other programs administered by the local ag commissioner whose fees are set by the state either through agency action or in statute. This bill could start an unwanted precedent.  

SB 964 and SB 965 (Wright) Both these bills are intended to address regulatory reform at the regional water quality control board. Specifically the measures address ex parte communication with board members, align the conflict of interest provisions and address the adoption of regulation process. These bills coupled with SB 900 (Steinberg) that would reorganize the State and Regional Water boards, are bringing much legislative attention to the issues surrounding the water boards authority, regulatory process and activities.  

Fertilizer use, nitrates and water quality are issues that have come to the forefront over the past year and will be highlighted in a critical report from the UC to be released later this spring. AB 2174 (Alejo) will direct the mill fee assessed on fertilizer to additional research and water clean up.  

Water continues to be a topic of bills. AB 2000 (Huber) is her annual proposal to impact the Bay Delta process and require a vote of the legislature before any Delta conveyance facility is developed. AB 2075 (Fong) would make it state policy that water efficiency, conservation and recycling is the best most cost effective manner to address water supply in the future.  

The California State Floral Association (CSFA) and the California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC) are pleased to announce Legislative Action Day 2012.  The breakfast program will feature keynote speakers from the California Legislature.  Kasey Cronquist, Executive Director/Ambassador, California Cut Flower Commission, Chris Zanobini, AAMSI President, and Kent Woodward, ARM, State Compensation Insurance Fund will also speak at our breakfast.  CSFA legislative advocates, Dennis Albiani and Debbie Murdock, will present the Governmental Relations Primer:  Issues and Orientation.  This year's event Co-Chaired by Allan Nishita and Marty Espe, Flora Fresh, Inc. will be held in conjunction with California Agriculture Day.  Over 2500 people are expected to stroll the Capitol grounds and participate in an array of activities, including food sampling and educational exhibits.

Members will have an opportunity to meet with their respective Legislators to voice concerns and talk about important issues facing the floral industry.  Come and share in the excitement at the Capitol.  The day will include a legislative breakfast at the Sutter Club.  Floral bouquets will be delivered to every legislative office along with our information packet outlining critical issues of concern to our industry.  For more information and to register call the CSFA office at 916-448-5266.

• Schedule of Events
• LAD Sponsor Form
• LAD Registration Form  

Facing stubbornly dry conditions, state and federal agencies released low water supply allocation estimates today for 2012.

The California Department of Water Resources reduced its estimated water supply deliveries from 60% to 50% of contractors' requests, a rare action.  

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has released similarly low allocation estimates for contractors of the federal Central Valley Project. Agricultural water contractors will receive 30% of supplies, municipal and industrial contractors 75%, and, in a move not seen since 1977, some pre-CVP water rights holders will receive just 75% of requested supplies.

The estimates come against the backdrop of an unusually dry winter which has produced just half the normal precipitation so far and less than a third of normal snowpack.

DWR's rain and snow runoff for the year is forecasted to be far below average in both the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River systems. The median runoff forecast for the Sacramento River system would be the 16th driest in 106 years, while the Feb. 1 median water year runoff forecast for the San Joaquin River system would be the 21st driest in 111 years.

In addition, DWR's eight-station index gauging runoff from Shasta Lake to the American River basin is at just 51% of its seasonal precipitation average.

The Bureau bases its allocations in part on DWR's runoff forecast, and contractors whose allocations are based on pre-established Shasta inflow criteria are facing reductions. Both agencies may update the allocations as conditions change. The Bureau is developing the CVP Water Plan 2012 to support water management efforts this year.

"The sad reality is that crops will be raised in this country this year that may not be harvested because there simply is not the workforce to get the job done," Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack told the USDA Outlook Conference this week, calling on Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform legislation soon. Meanwhile, the Obama Administration said this week it will end a program that deputizes local police to be immigration officers. The deputizing program, run by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), deputizes local law enforcement to act as immigration officers in jails or in the field, checking citizenship status on suspects, ordering detention, etc. Only eight local police departments signed up under the ICE program during the Obama Administration - none since August, 2010 - and the overall number is down from 60 local agencies during the Bush Administration.

The FY2013 budget request for DHS indicates the department will be signing no new contracts and cancelling the "least productive" of the existing contracts. DHS says other programs are more efficient and effective. As for Vilsack, citing agriculture's reliance on immigrant labor, he said Congress needs to fix "this broken system and fix it now," even though the chances of Congress tackling as controversial an issue as immigration during an election year are remote. The major roadblock is how to treat the millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S. without being accused of granting "amnesty" for illegal acts. Also sharply criticized by farm organizations, particularly dairy and the fruit/vegetable growers, is the H-2 seasonal worker temporary visa program, which they call cumbersome and expensive. There is legislation pending on Capitol Hill to revise this program, but so far, there's been no agreement on how to move reform forward.

CALIFORNIA STATE FLORAL ASSOCIATION TOGETHER WITH ROP CAMARILLO   

Present a Floral Design Workshop

March 31, 2012

Floral Architectonics: the Art of Incorporating Architectural Elements into Dynamic Floral Designs

Instruction by Tony Alvarez AIFD, CCF & Debbie Alvarez AIFD, CCF

Place: ROP Camarillo, 465 Horizon Circle, Camarillo, CA 93010

Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

In this class we will explore a number of architectural elements developed since man first began building shelters right up to the modern age of towering steel structures and modern conceptual theories in architecture. We will integrate these architectural elements in our design constructions using assorted building materials, plant materials, flowers and branches as well as decorative wire and glassware.  

Come spend a day with friends and learn new ways to add interest, value, drama and innovation to everyday designs!

Class fee: $125.00

Click here for full details 

Preventing Common Injuries

Common injuries and their causes: Fingers and hands are injured more than any other part of the body. Many times these injuries occur due to lack of an understanding of the hazards that exist or lack of Personal Protective Equipment.

Personal protective equipment (PPE): PPE is designed to guard against any risk present in the workplace. This can be things like molten metal, falling debris, electric shock, etc. Injuries occur when employees choose not to wear designated Personal Protective Equipment or use the wrong type of equipment.  

Important pointers on how to avoid common injuries:

• In most cases, gloves have to be used to prevent hand injuries.
• For each job, complete a written Hazard Assessment to ensure that the proper kind of protection is always available for the various exposures.
• Before handling, inspect materials for slivers, jagged edges, burrs, and rough or slippery surfaces.
• Get a firm grip on the object.
• Clear a path of travel and a set point.
• In the case of repetitive motion tasks, be aware that gloves or other PPE can restrict movement which results in greater stress. This must be accounted for.
• Keep fingers away from pinch points when setting down materials.
• Care should always be taken when wearing gloves while working with or around rotating machinery.
• When handling lumber, pipes, or other long objects, keep hands away from the ends to prevent them from being pinched or from sharp edges.
• Wipe off greasy, wet, slippery, or dirty objects before trying to handle them.
• Keep hands free of oil and grease.
• If injuries do occur have them treated immediately. Cuts or scratches can become infected unless properly cared for.
• Report accidents immediately; following procedures for initial response and containment of the incident.

Safety Meeting Topic Idea

Influencing Attitudes for Safety - English

Describes the role of worker's attitudes in workplace safety.  

 Influencing Attitudes for Safety - English

Influencing Attitudes for Safety - Spanish  

Describes the role of employees' attitudes in workplace safety.  

In yet another example of election year politics and budget hawk pressures, House GOP leadership this week announced they'll abandon plans to try and pass a five-year, $260-billion federal highway program reauthorization, opting instead to try and pass an 18-month extension of highway infrastructure and urban commuter program funding.  One report indicated the reason was mounting opposition to  the mammoth reauthorization bill, particularly among conservative Republicans.  One staffer is quoted saying the new bill will "still provide plenty of time for a new Congress and a new President to enact a long-term reauthorization."  Leadership is also reportedly abandoning its effort to tie funding for highway programs to a source other than the Highway Trust Fund, which is funded by gasoline, diesel and highway use taxes.  Part of the reason a shorter bill is now being contemplated is that offsets for the cost of the bill have now disappeared, having been used to pay for other programs.  Also, the Senate is working a $15-billion two-year bill, and reconciling House and Senate versions will be easier.  House leaders said, however, they'll still try and pay for part of the shorter-term bill through ties to fees to be collected from new federal permits for oil and gas exploration.  The new bill will be passed on its own and then likely attached to a previously passed energy production bill and sent to the Senate as a package, according to a source close to the situation. 
 

Capture Your Favorite Agricultural Moment

If you've ever watched the documentary Food, Inc., you may recall the point the film makes about American agriculture falsely portraying itself in advertising. The claim is that agriculture in America today is nothing like the iconic pictures of farmers in blue jeans and cowboy hats, propped up against the backdrop of red barns and corn fields. Instead, the movie depicts an industry of windowless barns, suffocating chickens and cows being pushed around by forklifts. So which is the truth? Strictly speaking-both. 

There's no denying that some aspects of agriculture are far from pleasant-especially those practices we as an industry do not condone. However, the Food, Inc. claim that the picturesque imagery associated with agriculture no longer exists is far from the truth. Every day, everywhere across California and American agriculture, there are picture perfect moments that capture the essence of our lifestyles. The hard working father and son team on a combine harvester; a wife bringing her husband a mid-day lunch in the field; a rancher on horseback at sunset. These are the images we create as still frames in our minds all the time, and that we often take for granted.   

This week on KnowACaliforniaFarmer.com, we're asking you to capture your favorite picture perfect agriculture moment-unscripted and unedited. Collectively and together, we can refute the notion that our unique and special life in farming and ranching exists only in an artist's imagination. Let's show consumers the real side of farm families in California.